Acquabella Festival
Culture, sea, and Adriatic tales on the Costa dei Trabocchi
About Acquabella Festival
A cultural festival on the Costa dei Trabocchi
The Acquabella Festival is one of the most refined cultural events on the Abruzzo coast. Every June, it brings the Costa dei Trabocchi to life, spanning the area between the historic center of San Vito Chietino and the enchanting Borgo dell'Acquabella in Ortona (province of Chieti, Abruzzo). It takes its name from the promontory and the Acquabella bay, one of the most evocative spots along the coast, famous for its trabocchi—the ancient fishing platforms that define the Adriatic landscape.
Three days of sea, history, and myth
The festival offers a packed program of talks, round tables, conferences, theatrical readings, book presentations, live music, and sailing excursions along the coast. The common thread is always the sea: its routes, myths, maritime traditions, and the historical ties connecting Abruzzo to the Mediterranean. Each edition revolves around a central theme that serves as the lens through which all scheduled initiatives are viewed.
The event takes place across several iconic locations: the Teatro Due Pini and the town hall in San Vito Chietino, the Belvedere Marconi overlooking the sea, the Borgo dell'Acquabella, and the Palazzo Le Dimore in Ortona, the traditional venue for the closing ceremony.
A local cultural project
The Acquabella Festival is conceived and organized by the San Giorgio Scuola Educaform education center in Pescara, directed by Piero Caruso and coordinated by Barbara Pambianchi as part of the Poseidon project. The festival is sponsored by Italia Nostra and collaborates with the Italian Naval League, which manages the sailing excursions along the Costa dei Trabocchi.
With its blend of high culture, landscape, and maritime tradition, the Acquabella Festival has become a benchmark for those wishing to discover the Costa dei Trabocchi through its history and stories, set against one of the most beautiful natural backdrops in Abruzzo.
Acquabella Festival — edition 2026
The ninth edition of the Acquabella Festival, which took place from June 18 to 20, 2026, focused on Venice and its ties to the Abruzzo Adriatic, under the theme "Stories of winged lions, mysteries, and suspension bridges." Three days of conferences, theatrical readings, music, and book presentations were held across the Teatro Due Pini, the town hall, and the Belvedere Marconi in San Vito Chietino, as well as the Borgo dell'Acquabella and Palazzo Le Dimore in Ortona. The closing ceremony hosted the presentation of the 2026 Colle Moro Prize.
Programme Acquabella Festival 2026
Thursday, June 18 — Teatro Due Pini (San Vito Chietino)
- 9:30 PM — Screening of the documentary "The Gold of Venice" by Nicola Pittarello. Moderated by Enrico Giancristofaro and Piero Caruso; speakers include Pio Baissero, Sergio Gobbo, Alessandro Marzo Magno, and Alessandro Dissera Bragadin. Musical interludes by Fakizat Mubarak (violin) and Martina Mastrorillo (cello).
Friday, June 19
- 10:00 AM — Town Hall: conference on Venetian architecture and the lagoon. Speakers: Mario Piana ("Building in Venice"), Stefano Medas ("Submerged Antiquities"), and Pierluigi Vinciguerra (Italia Nostra Abruzzo). Moderated by Barbara Francesca Pambianchi.
- 4:30 PM — Belvedere Marconi: "Where the sea becomes lace", on Adriatic traditions, with Isabella Lanzafame, Filomena Monte Fellegara, Isabella Campagnol, and Giacomo De Crecchio.
- 9:30 PM — Teatro Due Pini: "Marco's Dream", readings by Marcello Sacerdote, and book presentations by Alberto Toso Fei, Isabella Lanzafame, and Sergio Gobbo.
Saturday, June 20
- 4:00 PM — Borgo dell'Acquabella (Ortona): afternoon meetings.
- 9:45 PM — Palazzo Le Dimore (Ortona): closing ceremony with the presentation of the 2026 Colle Moro Prize (Cantina di Frisa, CH) and a tribute to writer Mario Dentone.
Highlights Acquabella Festival 2026
Prices Acquabella Festival 2026
Practical information — Acquabella Festival
Location
The festival takes place between San Vito Chietino (Teatro Due Pini, town hall, Belvedere Marconi) and Ortona (Borgo dell'Acquabella, Palazzo Le Dimore), along the Costa dei Trabocchi in the province of Chieti.
How to reach us
San Vito Chietino is accessible via the A14 motorway exit (Val di Sangro / Lanciano) and the SS16 Adriatica road. The San Vito–Lanciano train station is on the Adriatic line. The Via Verde of the Costa dei Trabocchi connects San Vito Chietino and Ortona by bike and on foot.
Admission
Festival talks and conferences are free to attend. Sailing excursions along the coast may require booking via the Naval League.
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Where does it take place — Acquabella Festival
Teatro Due Pini